The Washington critic., 1887-03-23
WASHINGTON, MARCH 90, 1887.
THE INTERSTATE COMMISSION.

THE INTERSTATE COMMlsSIoN.
The President has at last completed
what he regards rs the most difficult
task yet encountered by him, and has
announced his list of five Interstate
Commerce Commissioners.
The list of names reveals con.
sclentious effort 10 secure the most
Conspicuously competent, qualified and
able men who could be obtained for
the salaries, regardless of other con.
siderations, political. personal or
geographical The Commission con
sists of five lawyers, ranging from II
to G3 years In aye, representing the
States of Michigan, Illinois, New York,
Vermont aud Alabama, and all more or
less prominently connected with public
iilairs.
In each case there IS something to
give the man peculiar claim TO the dis
iiuction. Messrs, Cooley, Brasg and
Walker have been prominently aud
closely Identified with the subject of
governmental relations to the railroa is
Judge Cooley is perhaps the most emi.
nent authority in the United States on
subjects of Constitutional law affecting
interstate commerce. Mr.. Bragg, as
president of the Alabama Railroad
Commission, and MIR. Walker, as n
member of the Vermont Senate, have
been intimately idcn,tied with the
formation aud execution OF legislation
affecting the railroads.
The Identification of these three gen.
tlemcn with railroad legislative mat.
ters has been such as 10 indicate In
each case integrity and intelligent ap-
probation Of the rights of both the
public and the transportation compl'
nics and the Legitimate scope of Gov.
cinmental interference.
Mr.. Morrison is qualified by his
long experience as law maker, his
thorough study of commercial ques-
tions aud his universally recognized
integrity and earnestness. The special
fitness of Mr.. Schoonmaker's appoint.
ment lies In his familiarity with the
laws and commerce of New York AMI
his relations to Gov. Tildcn as an earnest
co.operator with his reform measures,
and by an intelligent appreciation of
his views of the mutual obligations ex.
listing between corporations and the
public which they serve.
The President has done wisely, as a
matter of sclfdefcnse, in selecting
Commissioners on the basis of merit
ard thus relieving himself of respon.
sibility in greater degiee than he
could have done by appointments based
in "greater degree upon political or
personal considerations.
The new law Is q vast problem; every
feature of its operations Is more or less
uncertain, and whatever is done, ad-
verse criticism and industrious opposi'
tion are TO be expected. Under the cir.
cumstances better rules of selection
could scarcely have been followed
Quite n number of eligible candidate,
could not be tempted TO accept The
places by the salaries attached, or were
deferred by the complications to bt
expected, or had too extensive ilnancia
interests in railroads The number oI
desirable men who were sought AM
could not be secured was only exceeded
by Il c number Of eager applicants who
were utterly unfit for the service. The
railroad men, the producers and con
sumers, the shippers and travellers arr
ready 10 make life burdensomc for til,
new commissioners, and contribute t,
the activity of the opening season il
Washington.